The setting up of a coal briquetting plant of 315,000 tons annual
capacity is being considered in connection with the commercialization of coal briquetting
technology developed by Karachi Laboratory of PCSIR.

The production, however, would meeting only 6 percent of market
capacity, according to PCSIR sources. The US based M/s Charles Bliss and Moselay has
promised technical and other support to maintain the supply of coal briquettes and to
study its market evaluation before going ahead for the commercial plant for which a profit
sharing formula would be worked out on a 5-year lease basis.

'Fish output can be raised 10 times'

Fish industry is the most profitable industry in the country and
increased public participation can enhance its production upto 10 times.

Pakistan has the most modern technology and trained staff in the field,
besides the biggest irrigation system in the world.

It has huge potential for fisheries and aquaculture development, only
public awareness is needed to further exploit this potential, said Dr Muhammad Nazir
Bhatti, DG Fisheries.

100 fruit varieties introduced to increase output

More than one hundred varieties of indigenous and imported fruit
cultivars and rootstocks have been introduced in Balochistan for fruit farmers to produce
export-oriented fruit.

Five varieties of vegetables have also been introduced in the province.
Imported varieties of fruit introduced in the province are the ones from the United States
of America, United Kingdom, France, Italy, Spain and other European countries.

These new varieties include 25 of plum, 18 each of cherry and
nectarine, 17 of peach, 12 of apricots, 8 of apple and 4 of almonds. New varieties of
vegetables evolved and released to the vegetable growers are those of onion, spinach,
tomato, eggplant and radish.

Oil output stands at 55,703 bpd

The country's average crude oil production at the end of third quarter
1998-99 was 55,703 barrels per day against 55,992 barrels per day during the comparable
period of the preceding year.

During this period 20,770 barrels per day was produced in northern
region and 34,934 barrels in southern region compared with 21,964 and 34,028 barrels per
day respectively during the comparable period of 1997-98, official sources said.

According to sources, the recoverable reserves of crude oil as on March
31, 1999 were estimated at 238 million barrels in the country.

As the country's oil demand is rising by 7 percent a year, the sources
said, the oil and gas exploration activities are gaining momentum in the country.

The OGDCL recently discovered substantial amount of oil and gas
reserves in Sadqal area some 45 km south of Islamabad near Fateh Jang, district
Attock.

According to the sources, the well flowed 2,500 barrels per day of oil
40 degree API gravity and 18.5 million cubic feet of gas per day half inch choke with well
head flowing pressure of 4,600 PSL.

The work on pipeline has started in Sadqal area and normal production
from Sadqal well No 5 will be started within days which will help enhance the country's
oil production, sources added.

Sources said the transport sector has been the largest consumer of oil
and oil products accounting for 47.5 percent of total consumption during July-March
1998-99 followed by power sector (32.0 percent), industry (13.5 percent), household (3.3
percent), and agriculture (1.45 percent).

Chounsa  largest grown mango variety

Chounsa mango has emerged as the largest-grown variety in southern
Punjab as this variety covers an area of 82,807 acres of orchard-land, out of the total
mango acreage of 183,002 in three divisionsMultan, Bahawalpur and Dera Ghazi Khan.
This shows that the variety is grown on 45.24 per cent of the total area under mango
acreage.

Provincial agriculture department has conducted a thorough survey of
mango orchards in the province besides taking information about its variety-wise area and
output and other pertinent data.

Fertilizer industry to absorb gas price hike

Fertilizer industry is likely to absorb the gas price hike as cheap
imports leave a little room for retail price increase, industry sources said on Thursday.

"Our per bag cost of production has increased by Rs 15 to Rs 30
per bag, but at this stage I think it will be very difficult for companies to pass on this
impact to consumers," one urea producer said.

The government, through an SRO dated July 13, has increased the
feedstock gas price for old capacities (pre- 1993) from Rs 23.39 per mcf to Rs 40.46 per
mcf. The feedstock gas price for new capacities has not changed as it has been fixed at Rs
9.75 per mcf up to year 2003.

Economic activities have started picking up: Dar

The Federal Minister for Finance and Commerce, Ishaq Dar, on Thursday
asserted that the economic activities have started picking up in the country that is
evident from sharp growth in imports.

Addressing a post-Trade Policy press conference here on Thursday, he
said that during the past four months the imports have shown impressive growth, putting
stagnant economic activities back on track.

Despite critical economic situation following nuclear tests, the
minister said, the country has attained 3.1 percent growth in its GDP that is close to 3.3
percent average GDP growth in the SAARC countries.

He said that economic turmoil in the Far East compounded with recession
in Japan, nuke tests-led economic sanctions and unit value depreciation have caused damage
to exports from Pakistan in 1998-99.